2010 Data Management, Quality, and Technology Call for Papers

01/02/2009 —

The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), in conjunction with the http://www.idma.org/">Insurance Data Management Association (IDMA), is extending a call for papers on Data Management, Data Quality, and Data Technology topics. The purpose of this program is to develop a source of literature on data topics important to casualty actuaries. Authors of accepted papers may be invited to present their work at the 2010 Ratemaking and Product Management Seminar. In addition, the papers will be published in the CAS E-Forum and will be available on the CAS Web Site prior to the Seminar. A prize fund of $2,500 is available for outstanding papers submitted in response to this call (with not more than $1,500 awarded to one paper). CAS members, IDMA members, and non-members are invited to submit proposals.

Data management and data quality topics of interest to casualty actuaries include, but are not limited to,

Using and developing information as one of the casualty actuary's principal activities. Data is the foundation from which this information is developed. The casualty actuary must have well developed and managed data resources and must be assured that these data resources are of sufficient quality. In advancing the profession's increasing role in non-traditional areas of practice, such as data mining, predictive modeling and enterprise risk analysis, gathering new forms of information from external data sources has increased in importance.

Technological advances that require improving data manipulation and its application to insurance marketing, insurance operations, and actuarial analyses. Examples of these technological advances include credit score analysis, multivariate modeling, enterprise risk modeling, and catastrophe modeling. Such advances provide casualty actuaries with an ever-evolving scope to their analyses. As the technology advances, so too must the collection and manipulation of the associated data. Also, technology is enabling insurers to recognize and price new exposures to loss, such as the losses arising in managed care errors and omissions, and e-commerce risks. As new and evolving loss exposures emerge, casualty actuaries must define appropriate models and collect additional data elements for use in analyzing the costs and trends of these exposures.

The casualty actuary's work that involves quantifying risk that changes systematically due to structural changes in the insurance environment. Examples include law changes such as tort reform, operational changes, and social changes such as changes in claim litigiousness. To account for such structural changes, the casualty actuary must often adjust historical data.

Call Paper Timetable

Timely submission of the discussion papers is critical to the success of the call. The procedures and timetable enumerated below will apply.

Deadline for Proposals
By February 20th, 2009, authors should submit proposals including the title, a short description of the topic(s) to be addressed, and the approach that will be taken. Proposals, along with authors’ contact information, should be submitted electronically via e-mail to the Casualty Actuarial Society at cwidowski@casact.org, Attn: 2010 Data Management, Quality, and Technology Call for Papers.

Acceptance of Proposals
By March 20th, 2009, the Committee will make a decision on all proposals. The number of accepted proposals might be limited, with preference given to papers that specifically address items listed above. The Committee will contact authors regarding their proposals.

Monitoring Progress
A Committee member will be assigned to work with each author to monitor the paper's progress and provide general guidance in completing the paper. Interim drafts, based on a schedule proposed by the author, may be requested.

By August 21st, 2009, a first draft of the completed paper will be submitted to the assigned Committee member for review and comments.

By September 18th, 2009, all comments on the first draft will have been forwarded to the author.

Completion Date
By October 23rd, 2009, the Committee on Management Data and Information must receive the completed paper and a 200-word abstract for their review. Each paper will be screened by the Committee to assure its quality of exposition and relevance to the call.

Approving the Completed Paper
By November 6th, 2009, all authors will have been notified as to the results of this screening process. Accepted papers will be published in the CAS Forum and will be available on the CAS Web Site prior to the 2010 Ratemaking and Product Management Seminar. Authors may be invited to present their papers at the 2010 Ratemaking and Product Management Seminar. These authors will be contacted in advance of the meeting regarding their presentations.

Prize Competition
All papers submitted and accepted in response to the call and meeting the minimum standards established by the Committee will be included in the prize competition. A prize fund of $2,500 is available for papers submitted in response to the call. An independent review committee will judge the papers anonymously and make recommendations for prizes. If awarded, prizes will be presented to the author(s) at the 2010 Ratemaking and Product Management Seminar. The criteria for evaluation will reflect:

Originality of ideas;

Clarity of presentation;

Contribution to the literature; and,

Thoroughness of ideas expressed.

Submission Guidelines
Papers must be no more than 10,000 words and should be prepared in accordance with the Research Paper Template, and the procedures in the Guide for Submission to CAS Forum on the CAS Web Site. Key words in the abstract should be based on the CAS Research Taxonomy, also on the CAS Web Site. Authors will be required to execute a "Permission to Publish" form, which formally grants the CAS permission to publish the paper. Authors are encouraged to submit working templates in spreadsheet form for models or methods discussed or developed in their papers and/or PowerPoint presentations incorporating the details of the paper's calculations. The spreadsheets and presentations will be posted on the CAS Web Site along with the paper.

The Committee on Management of Data and Information looks forward to receiving proposals in response to the call, and is happy to respond to inquiries from interested parties. Questions may be addressed to the Committee on Management Data and Information via e-mail to cwidowski@casact.org.

Your participation in this effort to produce new papers will contribute to the written body of knowledge for the CAS and to the success of the 2010 Data Management/Data Quality/Data Technology Call Paper Program.